Boutique Milk Farms Leading the New White Revolution in India

Nausheen Tareen
discovers Farm to cup milk supplied by boutique dairies is leading the second
wave of white revolution in the country.

We
all have heard the term ‘farm to fork’ about food ingredients. From knowing,
the source of broccoli, the soil composition of root veggies, whether the
poultry on our plate was free range and if the goat was grass fed or not, it is
all about eating healthy. This movement gripping the food lovers made them
closely read the labels of the sauces and sausages to know what all ingredients
are being used and if there are any artificial preservatives or not.

Boutique dairies like Whyte Farms in Alwar, Rajasthan are leading the second wave of white revolution in India

The
latest addition to this has been ‘farm to home’ milk. Boutique dairies that
claim to provide safer and more pure milk that is high in nutrients and takes
special care of animals rather than ill-treat them as mere machines to maximise
milk supply. From Pride of Cows milk farm in Manchar, Maharashtra, Akshyakalpa
Farms in Karnataka to Whyte Farms in Alwar, Rajasthan, these boutique farms are
leading the second wave of white revolution in the country.

These
farms claim they produce milk from cows that are not injected with artificial
hormones to produce extra milk, are not forcefully impregnated and have open
spaces to graze. These are also the guidelines of Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) for milk to be classified as organic. The 2017
regulation states that livestock be bred naturally, fed organic fodder, given a
field to graze on and kept free of antibiotics or be injected with hormones.

Cows are not injected with artificial hormones to produce extra milk, are not forcefully impregnated and have open spaces to graze.

In
a country that is among the largest producers of milk in the world but also has
an adulteration rate of almost a whopping 70 per cent, as per a 2012 nationwide
survey by FSSAI, people have taken a fancy to the pure milk from these farms
available at neighbourhood grocery stores or home delivered in fancy bottles.
And this is being readily preferred by health conscious food lovers despite
paying almost double the cost. The milk that is delivered is fresh, free of
added flavours or preservatives and has a better texture and creaminess than
the regular pouches one usually buys. Buoyed by the success of their venture,
some farms such as Pride of Cows, that has a production capacity of almost
25,000 litres a day, have also expanded their product portfolio to include
ghee, processed cheese, curd, butter and even skimmed milk powder, whole milk
powder and gulab jamun mix powder.

These farms by young entrepreneurs are definitely changing how we consume our staple beverage – milk.

Kanika Yadav is
the co-founder of Whyte Farms, one of the most technologically advanced dairies
in India with own agricultural lands for fodder, state of the art barns, fully
automated milking parlour, chilling units, pasteurization unit, packaging line,
cold stores as well as their own cold-chain delivery vans and bikes for home
delivery. She tells us in a quick chat about the idea behind her boutique dairy
farm spread over 30 acres in Alwar, Rajasthan and that her manifesto includes
no use of preservatives or adulterants, organic insecticide free fodder, no use
of antibiotics or hormonal steroids and most of all, a good life for the
cows.

Kanika Yadav, Co-founder, Whyte Farms, is among the young entrepreneurs who are changing how we consume our staple beverage – milk.

1.How
did the idea for Whyte Farms come about?

We
grew up having our own farm and cattle, passionately fed with pure wholesome
food every day, we became connoisseurs of all that was produced naturally and
tasted good. After moving base to heart of the city, we realized how difficult
it had become for people to eat organic food in our cities. People were
desperately wishing to move towards a healthier way of eating, but there was no
one to cater to the need. That is when our passion for organic food gave birth to
a dream, the dream to provide natural, nutritious, pure and wholesome food.

2.What
is your USP?

Whyte
Farms stands for produce that is pure and fresh. We have created a concept
where the consumer can know where their milk is coming from and how exactly is
it produced. Growing fodder for our cows and caring for them ensures nutritious
milk. Our milk is delivered to the consumers within a few hours of milking. We
are a cruelty free farm and are open for anybody to come and visit us and
believe only what they see.

3.How
much time did it take for you to set it up and what were the hurdles you faced?

It
all seemed very rosy when we initiated the process but setting up the farm was
the most challenging and laborious task. We invested more than a year just
understanding the nuances of dairy farming and getting it together. Learning
about cattle and complete health and breeding and having a bunch of healthy
organic cows on board took a while in addition to setting up the latest hi-tech
machinery. There’s a constant up-gradation that happens till date.

Farms have the latest hi-tech machinery that is constantly upgraded

4.What
is the vision for the farm and where do you see it a few years down the line?

Our
vision is to create a new segment in the market ‘farm fresh’ and introduce more
products. We plan to expand to all the neighboring areas of Delhi and scale pan
India.

5.Do
you think Indian consumers will want to move away from Mother Dairy and Nestle
to go for boutique brands like yours or there will always be blinders?

Today
the consumer is more aware and care for their health. People will eventually
understand the need for unadulterated and fresh produce. At Whyte Farms we are
not trying to compete with Mother Dairy or Amul as our concept and business
model is completely different. But we do strongly feel that people are moving
towards a healthier options.

This article was published in Dainik Bhaskar's Sunday supplement DB Post Vibe